MUHC in the Media - November 10, 2025
Surgery at the MCH: a significant reduction in waiting lists
The perioperative team at the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) reached an important milestone: not a single patient is now on the list of children who have been waiting for surgery for nine months or more. This is an achievement that few hospitals in Quebec can boast of having accomplished, explain Dr. Sam Daniel, Chief of Surgery, and Sonia Guilbeault, Interim Nurse Manager of Operating Rooms. Le Devoir, CTV News, L’actualité, CityNews
Years of research may lead to safer, simpler care for patients after atrial fibrillation ablation
An important international study co-led by Dr. Atul Verma, Director of the Division of Cardiology at the MUHC and scientist at The Institute, and Dr. David Birnie at the Ottawa Hearth Institute, reveals that most patients who have successfully undergone catheter ablation to treat atrial fibrillation (a type of irregular heart rhythm) can stop taking blood thinners. The results, presented at the 2025 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, could transform clinical practice and improve the quality of life for millions of people. CTV News, Toronto Sun, CityNews, Toronto Star, L’Actualité, Noovo
A clinic at home... or almost
A first-ever mobile pediatric clinic called DocTocToc has just opened in Montreal's north end to meet the health needs of children aged five and under. It's the initiative of Dr. Rislaine Benkelfat, a pediatrician at the Montreal Children's Hospital. Le Journal de Montréal
Photo taken at the MCH wins two awards
La Presse photographer Marco Campanozzi won the Grand prix Antoine-Desilets from the Fédération professionnelle des journalistes du Québec for a photo showing young patients at the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) being entertained by members of the Groupe tactique d’intervention of Service de police de la Ville de Montréal dressed as superheroes, rappelling down the building. He also won in the “Vie quotidienne” category for this shot. La Presse, Radio-Canada
The effects of a traumatic event on the brain
The coordinated terrorist attacks of Nov. 13, 2015, in Paris claimed the lives of 133 people. Since this tragedy, some 200 volunteers, mostly survivors and witnesses, have been monitored by researchers to discover how the process of resilience develops in the brain. Dr. Etienne de Villers-Sidani, neurologist specializing in cognitive disorders, explains how the human brain might overcome the trauma of witnessing such a tragedy. Découverte
How to soothe patients in the ICU
Dr. David Hornstein, Director of the Critical Illness Recovery Centre at the Montreal General Hospital of the MUHC, commented on a study conducted in Florida describing significant benefits for ventilated patients in intensive care associated with hearing the voices of their loved ones. Radio-Canada
The role of parents in couple fertility and child development
Bernard Robaire, PhD, associate investigator at The Institute, explains that men's lifestyles prior to conception can influence child development and even fertility. However, they do not have any effect on pregnancy itself. La Presse
Canada loses its status as a measles-free country
Since 1998, Canada had been considered a measles-free zone, a status granted by the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization's regional office for the Americas, and recently revoked. Dr. Brian Ward, a physician at the MUHC and researcher at the Institute, attributes the situation to declining vaccination rates, despite the existence of an “effective and remarkably safe” vaccine. The New York Times, Toronto Star, La Presse, Les Affaires, Le Devoir
Large-scale genetic screening in Ontario
An Ontario hospital is preparing to conduct genetic screening on 100,000 people to detect whether they are at risk of developing certain types of cancer, high cholesterol or heart disease. This study will certainly be useful, as traditional screening methods can miss some individuals, according to Laura Palma, Certified Genetic Counselor at the MUHC. CBC
Heading for a severe flu season?
The flu season in the southern hemisphere, which precedes ours, has seen a higher-than-average number of influenza cases, according to Dr. Jesse Papenburg, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and medical microbiologist at the Montreal Children's Hospital. CBC
Ziplines: caution is advised
Injuries caused by ziplines are generally related to human error, such as failure to follow safety rules, says Liane Fransblow, Trauma Coordinator at the Montreal Children's Hospital. La Presse